Ground anchor tie-down apparatus

ABSTRACT

A tie-down apparatus for a mobile home or the like having a diagonal, inboard ground anchor, in addition to a vertical ground anchor and vertical and diagonal inboard straps above ground. The diagonal ground anchor acts in compression to oppose wind forces acting inward against the adjacent side of the mobile home.

1111111661 States Patent 1 1 [111 3,845,597

Foster Nov. 5, 1974 1 GROUND ANCHOR TIE-DOWN 2,045,478 6/1936 Kuchn52/23 APPARATUS 3,054,151 9/1962 Shankland 52 23 3.335,531 8/1967Grimclli 1. 52/146 [76] Inventor: Howard F. Foster, 4500 Cavendish 59 519 9 s nni 52/155 Cir., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 33309 3,744.l92 7/1973Burnett 52/23 [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 Primary Examiner-John E. Murtugh[21] Appl' 389,449 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Oltmzin and Flynn [52] US.Cl. 52/166, E02d/5/80 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl E02d 5/80 A d I t f b1h th [58] Field 61 Search 52/155, 146, 166, 23, 163, 1 f m0 9 52/162 160having a d1ag0nal, inboard ground anchor, In addition to a verticalground anchor and vertical and diagonal [561 References Cited21123131211? 222132253313313355 @133 10123; 5331?;

UNITED STATES PATENTS v inward against the adjacent side of the mobilehome. 331,285 12/1885 DuBois 52/146 1,578,829 3/1926 Jennings 52/156 11ClalmS, 2 Drawing Flgures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various tie-downarrangements have been proposed heretofore for anchoring mobile homes tothe ground. Typically such tie-down arrangements have included, atdifferent locations around the periphery of the mobile home:

l. a vertically disposed ground anchor that resists tension forcestending to pull it up out of the ground; and

2. an adjustable tensioning head attached to the upper end of thevertical ground anchor, usually just above ground;

3. a vertical strap or cable extending up from the tensioning head tothe underside of the mobile home and under tension that is adjustable bythe tensioning head; and I 4. a diagonal strap or cable extending upwardand in- 7 board of the mobile home for attachment to an I- beam on thebottom of themobile home and under tension that is adjustable by thetensioning head.

Such tie-down arrangements have not been entirely satisfactory duringunusually high winds, suchas in hurricanes, tornadoes and heavy windstorms. Such winds may exert sufficiently heavy lateral forces againstone side or the other of the mobile home to break or loosen the strapsor cables there, thereby removing the restraint against sidewardmovement or tipping over of the mobile home. Incidents of this naturehave alerted federal, state and local governmental authorities toconsider imposing more stringent safety regulations on mobile hometie-downs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a groundanchor tie-down apparatus having an improvement constituted by adiagonal, inboard ground-anchor which acts in compression to resist windforces against the side of the above-ground structure, such as a mobilehome, where that tie-down apparatus is located.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel groundanchor tie-down apparatus having a diagonal, inboard ground anchor forimproving the capacity of the tie-down apparatus to withstand lateralwind forces on the above-ground structure which that tie-down apparatusanchors, such as a mobile home.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a tie-down apparatusin which the diagonal, inboard ground anchor acts in compression in theground to assist a tensioned, above-ground, diagonal strap or cable toresist such lateral wind forces.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of a presently preferred embodimentthereof, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

' FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the present tie-down minology usedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the complete tie-down apparatus comprises thefollowing previously used elements:

1. a vertical ground anchor 10, comprising a rigid, elongated, verticalrod 11, preferably about 48 inches long, and a rigid, flat, horizontallydisposed plate 12 attached rigidly to the lower end of the rod;

2. a tensioning head 13 rigidly attached to the upper end of the rod 11above ground;

3. a flexible vertical strap 14 extending up from the tensioning headand rigidly attached to the underside of the mobile home 15 at one sideof the latter; and

4. a flexible strap 16 extending diagonally up from the tensioning headin a direction inboard of the mobile home (i.e., laterally inward fromthe side of the mobile home where the vertical strap 14 is attached) andrigidly attached at its upper end to a horizontal I-beam 17 on which themobile home is mounted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end of the diagonal above-ground strap 16is wrapped around the I-beam 17 and is rigidly fastened to it by asuitable clamp C.

The tensioning head 13 may take various forms, but in the preferredembodiment it comprises a rigid U- shaped body 18 and a pair ofadjustable tensioning bolts 19 and 20, one for each strap 14 and 16.These bolts extend horizontally and rotatably through the opposite,upstanding legs of the U-shaped body, and between these legs theypresent narrow slots 19a and 20a, respectively, for snugly receiving thelower ends of the respective straps. Each bolt has a hexagonal head onone end which is normally seated snugly in a corresponding downwardlyfacing, semi-hexagonal recess formed on the outside of one leg of theU'shaped body by offsetting it laterally at 1% and 20b in FIG. 2. Theopposite end of the bolt extends rotatably through the opposite leg ofthe U-shaped body and is screwthreaded to receive a respective clampingnut 21 or 22 at the outside of this leg.

In the use of this tensioning head, after first loosening the respectiveclamping nut 21 or 22, the bolt 19 or 20 may be retracted axiallyoutward far enough to disengage its head 19b or 20b from the respectivesemihexagonal recess on the U-shaped body 18, and then the bolt may beturned to provide the desired tension on the respective strap 14 or 16.Then this bolt may be moved axially inward to seat its head 19b or 20bin the respective semi-hexagonal recess on the U-shaped body 18, and therespective clamping nut may be tightened to hold it in this axialposition.

It is to be understood that a cable or other flexible tensioning elementmay be used in place of either or both straps l4 and 16. In accordancewith the present invention, a diagonal, inboard ground anchor 25 isprovided in the tie-down apparatus for improving its capacity towithstand lateral wind forces against the side of the mobile home wherethat tie-down apparatus is located.

In the preferred embodiment, this diagonal ground anchor comprises anelongated, rigid rod 26 (preferably about 18 inches long) and avertically disposed, rigid plate 27 on the lower end of this rod. Therod 26 extends inboard of the mobile home at a suitable acute angle inthe ground, preferably about 45 to the vertical. The plate 27 preferablyis oblong, with a greater dimension horizontally than vertically. Forexample, it may be a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 6 inches high,welded at the center to the lower end of the rod 26.

The upper end of the rod is welded to the middle of a flat, verticalclamp plate 28, which engages the inboard side of the rod 11 in thevertical ground anchor immediately below the tensioning head 13. Asecond flat, vertical clamp plate 29 engages the opposite, outboard sideof this rod 11. Upper end lower U-bolts 30, with clamp nuts 31 on eachend, extend through the clamp plates 28, 29 and around the upper end ofrod 11. This clamp arrangement 28-31 enables the upper end of thediagonal, inboard ground anchor to be releasably attached rigidly to theupper end of the vertical ground anchor immediately below the tensioninghead 13, just above ground.

After the tie-down apparatus has been installed, as shown in P16. 1,wind forces to the right in FIG. I tend to force the diagonal, inboardground anchor to the right in the ground. To so move, the broad-area endplate 27 on this ground anchor would have to compact the earth to theright of it. Since the earth is extremely resistant to such compaction(much more so than to a tensile pull on a ground anchor), this inboard,diagonal ground anchor greatly enhances the capacity of the tiedownapparatus, of which it is a part, to withstand such lateral wind forceson the mobile home.

While the present invention has been disclosed herein as used with amobile home, it is to be understood that it may be used also to providea ground anchor tie-down for various above ground structures other thanmobile homes.

I claim:

1. In a tie-down apparatus for a mobile home or the like comprising afirst ground anchor extending substantially vertically down into theground, a first, flexible, above-ground tensioning element attached atits upper end to the mobile home and extending downward therefromsubstantially vertically, a tensioning head connected to the upper endof said ground anchor and operatively coupled to said first flexibletensioning element to apply a selected tension thereon, and a sec ond,flexible aboveground tensioning element operatively coupled to said headand extending diagonally upward therefrom inboard of the mobile home andattached at its upper end to a support beam at the bottom of the mobilehome, the improvement which comprises:

a second ground anchor having an elongated rigid rod operativelyconnected at its upper end to said tensioning head and extendingdiagonally downward therefrom inboard of the mobile home, and atransverse ground plate on said rod.

2. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transverseground plate is rigidly connected to said rod and extends substantiallyvertical.

3. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transverseground plate is on the lower end of said rod.

4. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprisingmeans for attaching the upper end of said rod on the second groundanchor to the upper end of the first ground anchor directly beneath saidtensioning head.

5. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said ground plateis on the lower end of said rod in the second ground anchor and extendssubstantially vertical.

6. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first groundanchor has a rigid rod extending down from said tensioning head, andsaid means for attaching the upper end of said rod on the second groundanchor to the upper end of the first ground anchor comprises clamp meansattached to the upper end of said rod on the second ground anchor andreleasably embracing the rod on the first ground anchor immediatelybelow said tensioning head.

7. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said clamp meanscomprises a first vertical plate rigidly attached to the upper end ofsaid rod on the second ground anchor and engaging the inboard side ofsaid rod on the first ground anchor, a second vertical plate engagingthe outboard side of said rod on the first ground anchor, a pair ofhorizontal U-bolts extending through said first and second verticalplates and around said rod on the first ground anchor, and clamping nutsthreaded on the ends of said U-bolts against the outside of one of saidlast-mentioned plates.

8. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said ground platein the second ground anchor is oblong, with a substantially greaterdimension horizontally than vertically.

9. In a ground-anchored tie-down apparatus for an above-groundstructure, the improvement which comprises a ground anchor having arigid rod extending diagonally down into the ground inboard of saidaboveground structure, rigid means attached to said rod and providing abroad surface area extending transverse to the diagonal extent of saidrod for acting in compression against the soil to resist displacement ofsaid above-ground structure laterally in said inboard direction by windforces, and clamp means on the upper end of said rod for attaching itrigidly to another part of the tie-down apparatus, said clamp meanscomprising a first plate attached rigidly to the upper end of said rod,a second plate in confronting relationship to said first plate, U-boltsextending through said first and second plates, and nuts threaded ontothe ends of said U-bolts at the outside of one of said plates.

10. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said meansattached to said rod is a substantially vertical plate attached rigidlyto the rod at its lower end.

11. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said plate has asubstantially greater dimension horizontally than vertically.

1. In a tie-down apparatus for a mobile home or the like comprising afirst ground anchor extending substantially vertically down into theground, a first, flexible, above-ground tensioning element attached atits upper end to the mobile home and extending downward therefromsubstantially vertically, a tensioning head connected to the upper endof said ground anchor and operatively coupled to said first flexibletensioning element to apply a selected tension thereon, and a second,flexible aboveground tensioning element operatively coupled to said headand extending diagonally upward therefrom inboard of the mobile home andattached at its upper end to a support beam at the bottom of the mobilehome, the improvement which comprises: a second ground anchor having anelongated rigid rod operatively connected at its upper end to saidtensioning head and extending diagonally downward therefrom inboard ofthe mobile home, and a transverse ground plate on said rod.
 2. Atie-down apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transverse groundplate is rigidly connected to said rod and extends substantiallyvertical.
 3. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 2, wherein saidtransverse ground plate is on the lower end of said rod.
 4. A tie-downapparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising means forattaching the upper end of said rod on the second ground anchor to theupper end of the first ground anchor directly beneath said tensioninghead.
 5. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said groundplate is on the lower end of said rod in the second ground anchor andextends substantially vertical.
 6. A tie-down apparatus according toclaim 5, wherein said first ground anchor has a rigid rod extending downfrom said tensioning head, and said means for attaching the upper end ofsaid rod on the second ground anchor to the upper end of the firstground anchor comprises clamp means attached to the upper end of saidrod on the second ground anchor and releasably embracing the rod on thefirst ground anchor immediately below said tensioning head.
 7. Atie-down apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said clamp meanscomprises a first vertical plate rigidly attached to the upper end ofsaid rod on the second ground anchor and engaging the inboard side ofsaid rod on the first ground anchor, a second vertical plate engagingthe outboard side of said rod on the first ground anchor, a pair ofhorizontal U-bolts extending through said first and second verticalplates and around said rod on the first ground anchor, and clamping nutsthreaded on the ends of said U-bolts against the outside of one of saidlast-mentioned plates.
 8. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 5,wherein said ground plate in the second ground anchor is oblong, with asubstantially greater dimension horizontally than vertically.
 9. In aground-anchOred tie-down apparatus for an above-ground structure, theimprovement which comprises a ground anchor having a rigid rod extendingdiagonally down into the ground inboard of said above-ground structure,rigid means attached to said rod and providing a broad surface areaextending transverse to the diagonal extent of said rod for acting incompression against the soil to resist displacement of said above-groundstructure laterally in said inboard direction by wind forces, and clampmeans on the upper end of said rod for attaching it rigidly to anotherpart of the tie-down apparatus, said clamp means comprising a firstplate attached rigidly to the upper end of said rod, a second plate inconfronting relationship to said first plate, U-bolts extending throughsaid first and second plates, and nuts threaded onto the ends of saidU-bolts at the outside of one of said plates.
 10. A tie-down apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein said means attached to said rod is asubstantially vertical plate attached rigidly to the rod at its lowerend.
 11. A tie-down apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said platehas a substantially greater dimension horizontally than vertically.